Confessions of a half-repentant liberal

Without openness the west cannot thrive, but without equality it cannot survive

Bill Emmott

It has become fashionable to express regrets for being a liberal, especially if the adjective “metropolitan” or the noun “elite” are added. Or to anguish about, as those terrible twins Theresa May and David Goodhart have put it, being disconnected from “somewhere” by being a citizen of nowhere. It is time for this nonsense to stop. Liberals do have reason to apologise, but not for that. Instead they should bow their heads in shame for having betrayed their own principles.

About Prospect Magazine

In Prospect’s June issue: Geoffrey Wheatcroft, Martha Gill and Helen Pidd examine the election chances of the three main political parties. Wheatcroft explores the Tories’ remarkable ability to rise from the ashes and assert dominance, Gill questions why the Lib Dem revival isn’t quite getting off the ground and Pidd examines Labour’s prospects after poor performances in the recent council and mayoral elections.
Also in this issue: Christine Ockrent asks if France’s new President Emmanuel Macron can charm the parts of France that didn’t initially vote for him, AC Grayling assesses whether the rise and rise of drone warfare warrants a new ethical code for conflict and Francine Stock explores whether Pixar can continue to captivate modern audiences.